Paleochronic reversion in Psophocarpus, the decompression function in floral anatomic fields

Paleochronic reversion (an atavism) in Psophocarpus presents a basic floral phylloid ground state. That ground state can quickly change as permutation transformation (Tx) begins. The form of permutation can vary as phyllotactic phylloid (TPhyld) and/or floral axial decompression (TAxl) presenting linear elongation (TLong), rotational (TRtn) and/or lateral (TLat) components. Research with 70 reverted floral specimens documented varying degrees of phyllotactic permutation at the bracts (Bt) region and inter-bracts (IBS) sub-region of the pre-whorls pedicel-bracts anatomic zone. Permutation further yielded an inter-zonal pericladial stalk (PCL). It continued at the floral whorls zone: the calyx (Cl), corolla (Crla), androecium (Andr), and gynoecium (Gynec) with components therein. These organ regions present a continuum as an axial dynamic vector space £Taxi of floral permutation dominated by axial expansion (AE) so that an anatomic sequence of permutation activity runs from the bracts (Bt) region to the carpel (Crpl) inclusive with components therein, summarized by the formula: stamen fltn Andr spiral Crpl ±(Crpl web ± VASCARP ± Crpl diadn ± Crpl fltn ± [fltn no] ± Crpl Rtn) = Tx. The flower reverts from a system of determinate growth to one of indeterminate growth.

Aberrations in flower development in Silene

The occurrence of aberrant numbers of floral parts in Silene coeli-rosa was most frequent at high and low temperatures but was not obviously correlated with effectiveness of floral induction or with the growth rate of the flower. The stamens were more often aberrant than the other floral whorls. Aberrations seemed to occur independently in the different floral whorls, except in the case of the sepals and petals, since almost half the plants with aberrant numbers of sepals showed the same aberration in the petals. The findings are considered in relation to normal flower development.

The organization of the ranunculaceous flower with especial regard to the correlated variations of its constituent members

Detailed analysis of numerous ranunculaceous flowers demonstrate that, though the meristic variation be wide, the numerical relations between stamens and ovule production are very similar for most species. The relatively unspecialized flowers of Helleborus are shown to exhibit a negative correlation between stamen numbers and ovule numbers, but more specialized folliculate genera (e. g. Aconitum, Delphinium ) were found to present a positive correlation. In Anemone , with one fertile and abortive ovules, there is positive correlation between stamen numbers and fertile ovules, as also in genera with a single fertile ovule in the carpel ( Ficaria, Hepatica, Ranunculus, Thalictrum ). Data showing the ratio between the average number of stamens and the average number of ovules (or uniovulate carpels) is provided for fifty species belonging to thirteen genera of Ranunculaceae. In general this ratio is shown to vary within narrow limits but Ranunculus sceleratus is an exception which though vegetatively stable exhibits a very low ratio and marked variability of the usually stable calyx. From a detailed study of over 1200 flowers of Ranunculus repens evidence is furnished that the degree of variation and the number of members in the respective floral whorls is under genetic control but that, in flowers from plants producing extra petals this control is relaxed and even the calyx exhibits appreciable variation while floral members sharing the characters of sepals and petals, or petals and stamens, are met with on these individuals. The exceptionally prolonged flowering season of this species in 1972 permits the recognition of a definite meristic drift but affecting normal and abnormal flowers differentially. It is concluded that though the flower of Ranunculaceae is very variable as to the numbers of its parts the numerical relations between the members of the different floral whorls, particularly in the more specialized species, or strains of species, are relatively stable.

STUDIES IN THE FLORAL MORPHOLOGY OF THE MARANTACEAE: I. VASCULAR ANATOMY OF THE FLOWER OF SCHUMANNIANTHUS VIRGATUS ROLFE, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE LABELLUM

The floral anatomy of Schumannianthus virgatus Rolfe is described in detail. Anatomical observations indicate fusion of vascular bundles of various floral whorls commensurate with their adnation, and, in that sense, the inferior ovary is considered to be appendicular in nature. Anatomical evidence demonstrates reduction in part of the labellum and of the functional stamen. The anther is one-celled. The labellum is shown to be a unitary organ representing an anterolateral member of the inner androecial whorl.

I.—A Study of the Vascular Supply to the Carpels in the Follicle-bearing Ranunculaceæ

In 1790 Goethe (Eng. Trans., 1863) published his doctrine of metamorphosis. Before that only two authors had expressed any fundamental ideas with regard to the flower. Wolff in his Theoria Generationis (1759) said that the plant consisted of nothing but stem and leaf, the root being a modification of the former; parts of the flower were appendages, and the production of floral leaves was due to degeneration of the sap, the richest portion being used up at a lower level by the vigorous first-formed foliage leaves.Linné (1760) expressed the same idea as Wolff, partly basing his evidence on teratological specimens, in which the various floral organs were sometimes found to be replaced by leaves. He further considered the flower to be a modified shoot, five years' growth being compressed into a single year. Believing that the different floral whorls were developed the one from the other, and observing that they encircled each other, he attributed the various floral envelopes to different tissues of the stem—e.g. the bark gave rise to the calyx, and the carpels arose from the pith.